Safe
by Xxxx4evaSummerxxxx
Summary: Set during 4x04. Mariana approaches her moms about sleeping in their room, freaked out after everything with Nick (One-shot)


**a/n: Hello the Fosters fans. Long time no see, it's been over a year since I posted. This is different then my normal stories. They are normally Callie centric. But this one is about Mariana and the moms. With some Jesus. I got inspired by episode 4x04 when we see that Mariana has been sleeping in the room with Stef and Lena so I wanted to write about how that happened. This is a one-shot. The italics are flashbacks. Hope you enjoy.**

"Moms?"

The fragile voice echoed in the room, waking the moms up from their sleep.

Mariana stood there in her pjs snuggling childhood teddy bear to her. Tears shined in her eyes and she was nearly shaking.

"What's wrong sweets?" Stef asked, sitting up and putting on the room light.

Lena got up as well and motioned Mariana to them. "Come here honey"

Mariana made her way between her moms on the bed. She wiped her tears but found in useless because more just formed. She couldn't control it.

"I keep on having nightmares about Nick" She admits. Stef tenses up and the mention of his name. Lena puts an arm around her daughter and holds her close. "You're safe now" Lena promises her daughter, knowing she'll do whatever it takes to make sure her daughter feels safe.

Stef joins in on the hug. "Now you'll always be safe. I promise" There was so much strength in her voice, to reassure her child. But she felt shaky herself. She hasn't seen Mariana this shaken up since she was a child.

Seeing her now reminded Lena of when Jesus and Mariana first started living with them. Mariana would have nightmares frequently. She would never tell them what would happen. But she always told Jesus. As time passed she began to trust Brandon as a big brother and protecter and tell him too. It took her a while to open up to her moms.

 _"Mariana!" Lena panicked. It's been a week since adopting the twins and she had just woken up. She went to go check up on the kids. She went to Mariana's room first since it was closest to hers. But when she went to go in the little girl's room she_ _wasn't there. Horrible scenarios entered her mind. But Stef heard the yelling and went to go calm her down._

 _"She's probably in Jesus's room, love" Stef said, placing a tender kiss on Lena's forehead._

 _They went to go check in the room and saw that Mariana was snuggled next to Jesus but somehow had all the blanket to herself. if Lena wasn't trying to get a hold of her panicked thoughts she would have taken a picture. Lena went to go get a blanket for Jesus, but at the movement of the moms in the room he began to stir around._

 _"Good morning mommys" He greeted with a smile. He was still rubbing his eyes. Then once his vision was restored, he saw the concerned looks Stef and Lena were giving his twin sister._

 _"She had a nightmare" He explained. "She came to me to talk about it, and she didn't want to be alone. So she came here"_

 _"What is she having nightmares about, love?" Stef asked her son, as her and Lena took a seat on the bed._

 _"She didn't tell me" He said, looking down. They both knew he was lying, he_ _still gets very protective of Mariana, regardless of how comfortable he is there._

 _"It was very sweet of you to let her sleep here" Lena complimented her son's compassion. She was always amazed by the heart of all her kids._

 _He shrugged as if it was nothing. "We are all each other has" He says with such brutal honesty. Sometimes Lena forgets the horrors her children has been through. To her, they were just amazing and innocent children._

 _"Well now you have two moms and a big brother" Stef tells him. "Who love you very much"_

 _He smiles at his moms. "I know, I love you too. I just don't think Mariana knows"_

 _"Doesn't know what?" Mariana asks, getting up and stretching._

 _Instead of answering Stef asks "Jesus told us you had a nightmare, everything okay baby?"_

 _Mariana just looks at her brother then down at the blanket._

 _"Yes" She finally answers, which was a lie._

 _"You know if you have nightmares you can come to me and mamma, right?" Stef asks._

 _"We are going to be here for you. Always." Lena continues. "We will love and_ _protect you no matter what"_

 _The twins smiled at their moms._

 _"Well I guess that means it's time for a mama sandwich" Stef declares and her and Lena scoop up the kids and shower them with kisses._

It took four months after that until Mariana went to their room because she had a nightmare. Mariana looked nearly identical to how she looked all those years ago. Regardless on what happens, she'll always be their little girl. Stef and Lena's heart broke at how vulnerable their daughter looked. It took them back.

 _It was Mariana's first week of school. Well the Sunday before Monday, her first day._

 _She entered with tears in her eyes. Teddy bear in hands._

 _Little Mariana enters Stef and Lena's room_.

 _"Is it okay if I sleep in here_ _mommys?" Their hearts nearly melted._

 _Jesus adjusted pretty well, he liked having two moms. He liked having a cool big brother. But the adjustment has been a little harder for Mariana. She still confided in Jesus. Sometimes Brandon. But never in the moms. Until tonight._

 _"Of course baby" Lena answers. Mariana crawls in bed and fits between them._

 _"We wouldn't want it any other way" Stef says._

 _Mariana didn't say_ _anything, just cried more. She felt safe and it felt so weird to her. She never felt this way with anyone besides her brother. Lena and Stef, knowing their daughter was crying did their best to comfort her._

 _"We won't let anything hurt you" Lena says, kissing her daughter's head._

 _Stef hugged Mariana. "Ever"_

The promise held true until recently and it has been killing the moms on the inside. But tried to stay strong for their fragile daughter.

"I just keep on thinking that he was going to kill himself. Right here. In our home" She tells her moms. "Our safe place" She adds, voiced cracked.

"My love" Stef starts, kissing her daughter's forehead. "This will always be your safe place. He is getting the help he needs. Now that he is getting the help he needs, you need to make sure you are getting the help you need"

"Lie down honey" Lena says, patting the pillow between her and Stef.

Mariana lied down trying to control her breathing. "It was just so scary"

"You're okay love" Stef promised. "You're okay"

Mariana wiped her tears. "Is is okay if I sleep here moms?" She asked, nearly echoing her six year old self.

"Of course my baby" Lena says.

"We wouldn't want it any other way" Stef says.

Mariana sniffles and then smiles. "That is what you said to me the first time I slept in here"

"Yup and the promise is the same" Lena says. "We'll keep you safe"

Mariana just looked down at the blanket. "It isn't lame that I'm sleeping in here with you, right. I mean I'm sixteen. I'm pathetic" She says, tears threatening to spill again.

"No, my baby" Stef says. " You have been through a traumatic experience"

"You should never be ashamed to seek comfort. We are your moms" Lena says.

"We told you that we love you and protect you no matter what" Stef says. "Even if that means sharing a bed with a blanket hogger"

Mariana laughed.

"Thanks for making me feel better" She kisses her moms on the cheek.

"Goodnight love you" The moms said simultaneously. Always making Mariana smile.

"Goodnight moms, love you"

 **a/n: I hope you enjoyed it. I wrote this out back in July. Then decided to post it. Please feel free to review.**

 **Thank you for reading, have a great day.**

 **-Summer**


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